Ring traveler



H. G. BOWEN Dec. 29, 1959 POLYMER 5,3 5/6 (ammo/145mm) oxsm NE PDL YMER5&9. 4. 5,3 513 (ammo/mew n) our/we POL YMER INVENTOR Harold 6. Bowen.BY Btu-AM M ATTORNEYS RING TRAVELER Harold G. Bowen, Providence, R.I.,assignor to U. S.

Ring Traveler Company, Providence, R.l., a corporation of Rhode IslandApplication April 19, 1956, Serial No. 579,212

8 Claims. (Cl. 57-125) This invention relates to ring travelers employedon spinning and textile frames in the textile industry and, moreparticularly, to plastic ring travelers of improved performance.

Until relatively recent years, ring travelers were fabricated fromeither steel or bronze, depending upon whether or not the operation wasconducted in the presence of water. The water employed in wet twistingmethods rusts steel and, consequently, bronze travelers are normallyemployed in the wet processes. These metal travelers require varyingamounts of lubrication, especially in twisting operations where drag onthe ring is heaviest. Even when lubricated, both ring and traveler aresubject to considerable wear due to the metal-to-metal contact. Theresulting metal particles become admixed with the grease or otherlubricant employed, and, particularly when oxidized, cause undesirablestaining of the yarn or thread.

More recently attempts have been made to employ plastic materials in thefabrication of ring travelers. It was hoped that the elimination ofmetal from the traveler would result in a reduction in the amount oflubricant employed and would, therefore, reduce the staining of the yarnor thread. Despite a considerable amount of research, however, the onlyplastic travelers which have been at all satisfactory for commercial usehave been those fabricated from linear polyamides and particularlynylon.

In order to make even the nylon travelers operable, from the standpointof hardness, it has been necessary to heat treat the plastic travelerseither by heating in oil or by exposure to high temperature steam. Whileboth treatments effected a desired hardening in the plastic, the oilabsorbed by the plastic in the oil treatment was found to contribute tothe discoloration of the yarn. The steam treated nylon travelers,although of improved hardness, do not possess satisfactoryself-lubricating characteristics. Nylon travelers are also characterizedby excessive springmess.

In view of these and other difliculties experienced by the art, theprincipal object of the present invention is a plastic ring traveler ofimproved wearing characteristics.

A further object of the invention is a plastic ring traveler of improvedself-lubricating properties.

An additional object of the invention is a self-lubricating plastic ringtraveler which does not require special treatment.

In accordance with the present invention, it has been discovered thatring travelers fabricated from the polymer of 3,3-bis(chloromethyl)oxetane are essentially self-lubricating and exhibit superior wearcharacteristics. While the poly-3,3-bis(chloromethyl) oxetane travelersof the invention do not require special treatment, they may, if desired,be additionally hardened by heat treatment, such as by treatment withsteam. Preferably, however, the hardness, and wear-resistance of theplastic will be controlled by varying the molecular weight of thepolymer.

United States Patent ICC Polymers of 3,3-bis(chloromethyl) oxetane maybe prepared by contacting the monomer with from about 0.01 to about 10%boron trifluoride or its molecular complexes in the presence of an inertorganic liquid diluent such as cyclohexane, benzene or toluene. Thepolymerization reaction may be conducted over a broad temperature rangeof from about C. to about 80 C. The higher molecular weights areobtained at the lower temperatures. Consequently, for use in the ringtravelers of the invention, it is preferred that the polymerizationreaction be conducted at a temperature below about 20 C. The structuralformula of monomeric 3,3-bis(chloromethyl) oxetane is as follows:

If desired, a minor proportion of one or more-other monomeric oxetanesmay be copolymerized with 3,3- bis(chloromethyl) oxetane, such as3,3-bis(fluoromethyl) oxetane, 3,3-bis(bromomethyl) oxetane,3-chloromethyl- 3-methyl oxetane, 3,3-dimethyl oxetane,3,3-bis(phenoxymethyl) oxetane, and the like. In this manner, thephysical properties such as flexibility and softening point may bedesirably altered. Additional details pertaining to preparation ofpolymers comprising 3,3-bis(chloromethyl) oxetane may be found in US.Patent 2,722,340. The polymer of 3,3-bis(chloromethyl) oxetane ismanufactured and sold under the trade name Penton by Hercules PowderCompany.

Ring travelers fabricated from 3,3-bis(chloromethy1) oxetane andcopolymeric oxetanes containing 3,3- bis(chloromethyl) oxetane arecharacterized by just the right degree of flexibility to readily snap onthe ring. These polymers are essentially self-lubricating and have acoefiicient of friction which permits higher traveler speeds than arepossible with bronze or case hardened steel. The polymer issubstantially impermeable to water, grease or usual hydrocarbon solventsand, consequently, is ideally suited for wet processes where Water orsolvents are present.

The general type of ring traveler contemplated by this invention isexemplified by the accompanying drawingv Fig. 1 shows a simple,conventional ring traveler mounted on a commonly employed ring. In Fig.2 is shown a view of the traveler of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 shows a special ringstructure with a traveler mounted thereon. In Fig. 4 is shown a view ofthe traveler of Fig. 3.

Since the softening point of 3,3-bis(chloromethyl) oxetane and thelisted oxetane copolymers is in the neighborhood of C., the travelers ofthe invention may readily be prepared by any of the conventional castingor molding techniques and preferably will be prepared by injectionmolding. Alternatively, although less desirably, the travelers may bemachined from sheets of the plastic which may be prepared by pressing orcalendering operations.

Example Ring travelers similar to those shown in the drawing as rial.The reinforcing member may be integrated into the traveler during acasting operation or the plastic may be applied as a coating or layer byknown techniques such as dipping or extrusion.

Since various modifications of the invention will occur to those skilledin the art, the invention is to be limited only by the scope of theappended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A self-lubricating ring traveler for spinning or twisting operations,the surface of which comprises a polymer of 3,3-bis(chloromethyl)oxetane.

2. A self-lubricating ring traveler for spinning or twisting operations,the surface of which comprises a copolymer of 3,3-bis(chloromethyl)oXetane and another monomeric oxetane.

3. A self-lubricating ring traveler for spinning or twisting operationswhich comprises a polymer of 3,3- bis(chloromethyl) oXetane.

4. A self-lubricating ring traveler for spinning or twisting operationswhich comprises a copolymer of 3,3- bis(chloromethyl) oxetane andanother monomeric oxetane.

5. A self lubricating ring traveler for spinning or twisting operationswhich consists of the homopolymer of 3,3-bis(chloromethyl) oxetane.

6. A self-lubricating ring traveler for spinning or twisting operationswhich consists of the copolymer of 3,3- bis(chloromethyl) oxetane andanother monomeric oxetane.

7. A self-lubricating ring traveler for spinning or twisting operationswhich comprises an internal reinforcing member covered with a layer ofsynthetic polymer com prising 3,3-bis(chloromethyl) oxetane.

8. A self-lubricating ring traveler for spinning or twisting operationswhich comprises an internal reinforcing member covered with a layer ofsynthetic polymer comprising the copolymer of 3,3-bis(chloromethyl)oxetane and another monomeric oxetane.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,326,828 Camp Aug. 17, 1943 2,722,340 Feild et al. Nov. 1, 19552,722,493 Markwood et a1. Nov. 1, 1955

8. A SELF-LUBRICATING RING TRAVELER FOR SPINING OR TWISTING OPERATIONSWHICH COMPRISES AN INTERNAL REINFORCING MEMBER COVERED WITH A LAYER OFSYNTHETIC POLYMER COMPRISING THE COPOLYMER OF 3,3-BIS(CHLOROMETHYL)OXETANE AND ANOTHER MONOMERIC OXETANE.